The Lebanese army said that it was ready to deploy its forces in the country’s south, accusing Israel of “procrastination” in its withdrawal under a ceasefire, a day before the pullout deadline. Under the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire that came into effect on November 27, the Lebanese army is to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in the south as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period that ends on Sunday. Hezbollah is to pull back its forces north of the Litani River — about 30km from the Israeli border — and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.
